Google Expanding Tag Advertising, Adding Features

Google has added 11 U.S. cities to the tag advertising component of its revamped local business program, Google Places. The new locations are San Francisco, Washington D.C., Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Seattle, San Diego, Austin, San Jose, Boulder, Colo., and Mountain View, Calif.

For $25 per month, local businesses in these cities can incorporate photos, coupons or other information for customers into yellow tags that are highlighted on their listings on Google and Google Maps. A Google representative said that the company is anticipating quick feedback on the product while it works on new features.

One of those features is said to be an additional tag enabling local businesses to further highlight timely events and limited-time offers in customized messages that will appear on the listings. Google also plans to be expanding tag advertising to new locations in the near future. Businesses in the cities listed can join the program through their Google Places accounts.